Sardar Patel-Birh Day 31st October
                                                                                                                                                          Sardar Patel was a iron man of India. He was responsible for amicably integrating the all native states of  India in the  Indian Union. It was a remarkable achievement in the history of India.
                                                             He also manged with the mischievous and rebellious  States like Junagadh and Hyderabad very tactfully. The entire Jammu and Kashmir State would have been with India if Sardar was allowed by Nehru to act in his own way.
                                                             Sardar was hard if situation demands. Sheikh Abdullah was once threatening to leave the constitution assembly on the status of  Jammu and Kashmir then. Sardar warned him that you may leave this house but you will not be able to leave Delhi as am a Home Minister of India. Sheikh was subsequently cawed down because of his warning. He told strongly once then the Governor General Lord Mountbatten that you are not ruling and not allowing us rule. It was a time of partition when there was total political crisis was going on in India. This shows he was not afraid of anybody.

                                                             However he was done lots of injustice by not allowing him to become the first Prime Minister of India  in spite of that he was carrying majority in the congress party then. His contribution for the country was also ignored  and he was not given due recognition for long time. It was unfortunate that when he was awarded the highest civilian award of India i.e. 'Bharat Ratna' then there was no body to receive it.

                                                              Some of the politicians are exploiting the name of Sardar Patel for the reasons best known to them.  As per example some of them are exploiting his name against Nehru family and other wants to compare themselves with him to carry public sentiments/support  for them. Besides that Sardar  belongs to the very well organized, and powerful community of' Patidar'. It is  a  very big and wealthy  community in Gujarat and as well as abroad. It is to be noted that at present majority of the ministers in the Gujarat Government are from Patel Community including Chief Minister. Sardar was a patriotic and nationalist leader but had soft corner for Patidars. He also encouraged and supported Bhaikaka i.e. Bhailalbhai Patel  for getting done some of his well meant projects in his native place..
                                                            My father C R Desai who was a City Engineer of Ahmadabad Municipality in the Forties. He told me one of the incident with Sardar Patel. He knew my father and our family very well . He brought Bhaikaka i.e. another Engineer as a adviser in the Municipality then.  My father thought it was indirect non confidence shown in him by Sardar Patel. He asked for the appointment of Sardar for change. Sardar never allowed him to talk and started asking about our family and how they are doing. Latter on he told him " I know why you have come.  You want to go back to your 'PWD'.  You and Bhailalbhai both have to work to gather for the development projects of Ahmadabad. You are not going anywhere. My father was taken back at the love and affection shown by Sardar. He never uttered a single word and sought his permission to leave. In short Sardar was very hard task master but he always treated the people who works for him as a family member. That was a greatness of Sardar Patel the Iron man of India.
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